Have you ever wondered what goes into a heating or air conditioning system for a large office building or another large building like a mall or a school? My name is Evelyn, and I am an HVAC architect. I design heating and air conditioning systems for large, corporate buildings. Making sure that a large building with many rooms or offices is efficiently heated and cooled is a very large job and is much more complicated than simply heating or cooling a home. This blog will educate the reader on how heating and cooling jobs this large are designed and completed.
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3 Questions About HVAC Ductwork Dampers
Nicole Jacobs
Dampers are an important part of an HVAC system that uses ductwork. If you do not know much about dampers, you likely have the following questions about them.
What Is The Purpose Of Dampers?
Dampers are a way to cut off airflow to certain parts of your home so that your HVAC system doesn't work harder than it has to. Dampers are physical pieces of metal that can be turned so that the airflow is completely blocked. Every home should have a few dampers, which are designed to cut off airflow to specific parts of the home. While this can be done at the main vent in each room, using a damper prevents the air from even traveling through the ductwork and potentially leaking out.
Does Every Home Have Dampers?
Be aware that every home may not have dampers. There was a period of time when it was not required to have dampers according to local building codes, or it may have simply been an oversight during the original HVAC installation in your home.
In addition, it's possible that adding dampers doesn't make sense based on how your HVAC system was created. It is common to have dampers that cut off all air going to the first floor, second floor, and basement, and those dampers may simply be missing.
If you live in a ranch-style home and the HVAC system is centrally located, dampers may not have been used because the runs of ductwork were so short and there is not a main stack that the air branches off from.
Can You Add Dampers To A Home?
It is possible to add dampers if they are missing. The process involves opening up your ductwork so that the damper can be placed in the spot where it would logically go, such as cutting off airflow to a specific floor. It is also possible to install motorized dampers that can be opened and shut electronically so that you don't have to manually turn a knob attached to the physical ductwork.
It will be easiest to install dampers while the HVAC system is being updated, with the air handler out of the way. The dampers can actually be slid into the ductwork to avoid taking the ductwork apart in sections. This helps ensure that the ductwork is not compromised and potentially leaks air because you want to add dampers.
Reach out to an HVAC professional such as Dynamic Strategic Partners for more information on dampers.
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